Vacation finds and a few questions

On vacation I stopped at a antique/flee market. I don’t think I have any real bargains but I did pick up tools I will use. Stanley #80 cabinet scraper, Stanley #55 spoke shave, six assorted plow plane blades, Stanley #71 router plane and a Disston and Sons 12” back saw. All are in nice condition.

Questions. The router plane has a patten date of 3-4-1887. It does not have a miter slot or threaded holes to attatch a fence. How do I use a guide / fence with that? Or do I?

The Disston saw shows use but is in good condition. From what I found out on a Disston site the saw is from the 1880’s to early 1900. My intention was to clean, refinish the handle and have sharpened. After brushing the crud off the handle I now can see the owners name on the handle. I searched the name but no results. The letters are lightly stamped but look professionally done. Did Disston provide stamping a name as a service?

Thanks!

-- Dan, Naperville IL, I.G.N.

7 replies so far

They started making these planes in 1884 and didn’t start having the fence until 1939, so I guess it took 55 years for somebody to decide it needed a fence. I have had a router plane for about a year. Mine doesn’t have the fence, but nothing I have wanted to use it for required it.

So far I’ve used it for cleaning dadoes and for adjusting the thickness of tenons. Works very well with a sharp blade.

they would tack a scrap across for a fence just like you would with a wood bodied dado plane, but I agree with Lifesaver2000, I haven’t had a need for a fence on mine yet. You typically cut the dado with a saw (that disston looks like it will work) or chisel and use the plane for cleanup. I use the table saw or RAS and use the plane for cleanup after.

thats a handsome haul you got there Dan. Ive had my eyes out for that router plane … sounds like i gotta head north a little bit. That disston looks sweet … got one kind of similar thats got a nasty little kink in it. Now its time to breath some new life in those old girls.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

Chris the saw sold for 12.00 and the plane irons were 10.00. I figure at some point I can make a custome plane for some task and the saw I might try to sharpen it my self. If I screw it up I’ll send it out. I don’t want to remove the guys name. Maybe just clean and oil it. The router plane only had a 1/2 ” cutter. I’ll have to track down a set. I drove by a lot of places but did not have the time to stop in.